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Steering Cable Sheave Bearing??

Kenneth K

1985 32-3, Puget Sound
Blogs Author
I just had the rudder dropped to have the shaft shortened and a new cutlass bearing installed, so the steering cables/quadrant are already removed.

The bronze steering cable sheaves (that turn the cable 90 degrees from the pedestal to the quadrant) seem a little wobbly, so I want to change out the bearings.

Bearing seems to be about .561" OD and .435" ID and 1/2" wide, but I don't know what the original ID would have been. Has anyone replaced these, and where did you get the bearings? Sheave dia is 4" with an Edson Steering Column.

Steering Cable Sheave.jpg 20210112_145446.jpg
 

David Grimm

E38-200
Mine seemed a little wobbly too. Mine did not appear to have a bearing. It appeard that the bronz pully was the bearing. I greased the hell out of them and they appeared to work well. I think you need to replace the pully. Edson would be my guess.
 

Kenneth K

1985 32-3, Puget Sound
Blogs Author
Hmm, on mine the bearing is visible in the second photo, pushed about 3/4 of the way out. It removes easily. Maybe it's a Yacht Specialties steering pedestal--where does it say?
 
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Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Note that you can slightly enlarge the hole by precision boring and then press in a "oiled bronze" bearing. That was done to our sheaves.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
I believe that any machine shop could do this. Lathe and press would be needed. Our sheaves were done by a friend with a home machine shop.
You might ask around at nearby boat yards and chandlers.
 

Dave G.

1984 E30+ Ludington, MI
Being a 85 model most likely a Yacht Specialties pedestal originally. Check the nut that holds the wheel on for a "YS" on the face.
 

Afrakes

Sustaining Member
I just had the rudder dropped to have the shaft shortened and a new cutlass bearing installed, so the steering cables/quadrant are already removed.

The bronze steering cable sheaves (that turn the cable 90 degrees from the pedestal to the quadrant) seem a little wobbly, so I want to change out the bearings.

Bearing seems to be about .561" OD and .435" ID and 1/2" wide, but I don't know what the original ID would have been. Has anyone replaced these, and where did you get the bearings? Sheave dia is 4" with an Edson Steering Column.

View attachment 36767 View attachment 36768
Bearings can be purchased through Mc Master-Carr. If you have a vise and a socket, with an ID just slightly larger then the bearing OD, you can press the old ones out and install the new at the same time. No need for a machine shop.
 

goldenstate

Sustaining Member
Blogs Author
I would ask Edson if this is from an Edson helm.

I have been impressed with their customer service. They probably have the right part in stock.

-Tom
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
My boat, with Yacht Specialty/Merriman gear, seems to have simple bronze bushing inserts in the sheaves. They just press in by hand. The former owner changed them, and left me a couple of spares. Could well be a standard size. Grease is to be applied.
 

Kenneth K

1985 32-3, Puget Sound
Blogs Author
Bearings can be purchased through Mc Master-Carr. If you have a vise and a socket, with an ID just slightly larger then the bearing OD, you can press the old ones out and install the new at the same time. No need for a machine shop.

Yeah, you gotta love McMaster-Carr for pretty much any piece of hardware you might ever need--ever.

Follow up: Per the Ericson manual, these sheaves are called "steering cable idler sheaves," and the pedestal is from Yacht Specialties. The bearings are replaceable and available from McMaster-Carr. Looking at the McM-C website made it pretty clear which bearings I needed (i.e., these were not some specialty part built for Ericson in 1985), they are sold in common sizes. The measurements I came up with originally (.561" OD and .435" ID and 1/2" wide) were pretty much right on for a 9/16 (.5625) by 7/16 (.4375) by 1/2" oiled bronze bearing. At $2.60 each and $8.00 shipping, McM-D had them on my doorstep in 2 days.

While the old bearings slid out easily, the new ones were too tight to put in by hand (and, I hadn't read about your vice trick yet). I sanded a slight beveled edge on one side of each of the bearings, rinsed them clean, and put them in the freezer. I heated the sheaves on the stove, oiled the openings, and tapped the bearings in place with a plastic-head hammer.

While it's still not a tightly-toleranced fit, I'd say there's about half as much play in the sheave now compared to the old bearings. Well worth the $15 while I had the quadrant apart.

20210114_131312.jpg 20210114_131046.jpg (Old bearing on the right appears noticeably thinner.)
 
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